Washing machine



Jan. 20, 1942. c R EVANS WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 s W m m 3 E w i n w W C Jan. 20, 1942. c. R. EVANS 2,270,805

WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1940 4-sheetssheet 2 .f2 m w A{} fa 114 744 120 da' 7K Elgin Jan. 20, .1942. R, EVANS 2,270,805

WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2l, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 20, 1942. C. R. EVANS 2,270,805

WASHING MACHINE Filed Fgb. 21, 1940 4 sheets-sheet 4 /gdf- "u h :a E5 2' i Wn-Ilm Patented Jan. 20, 1942 UNITED STATES.L PAT ENT OFFICE wAsnrNG-vMAcnma Charles Roy Evans', Decatur, Ill. applic-non February 21, 1940, serial No. 320,186

i(ci. s-lsa) 10 Claims.

The present invention relates to an apparatus;l for washing, drying and drycleaning clothing and the like.

The primary purpose of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above character capable of being used in domestic and commercial laundries wherein circulation of the cleaning fluid is accomplished by compressed air passing 4therein through submerged blasts occurring intermittently at various angles.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for washing and cleaning articles of wearing apparel and fabrics in the same container without requiring the usual transfer oi the articles being washed from a washing machine to a separate drying compartment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. washing and drying machine having a compressed air chamber between the walls thereof whereby compressed air may be stored for the purpose of agitating the articles being cleansed while held in a cleaning solution.

A still further object oi the invention is to provide a heating element for heating the water or cleaning iluid in the washing and drying machine while at the same time, heating the compressed air in the walls of the machine so that the injection thereof will not reduce the temperature of the cleaning liquid.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a washing and drying apparatus of the above mentioned character in which a compressor is employed for supplying the compressed air chamber and a distributor operable by the compressor fed from the source of supply to direct intermittent blasts of air under pressure at different angles in the cleaning solution contained in the washing machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a washing and drying machine including inner and outer` spaced receptacles and the former being of irregular shape to provide longitudinal ribs or inwardly extending projections for producing a scrubbing action as the articles being cleaned are moved thereover.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a washing and drying apparatus in which air blasts are alternately directed radially inwardly of the container whereby rotation of the articles will be eilected in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figurel is a side elevational view oi the washing and cleaning apparatus illustrating the lower portion of the casing broken away to show the compressor and distributor.

Figure 2 isa vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 2-f2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the irregular shape of the internal casing structure.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure2 lookingin the direction of the arrows and-showing the .manner in which the compressed air jets are arranged with respect to the internal casing.n

Figure 4 is a perspective viewoi' the internal casing showing in detail thelongitudinal ribs and the peculiar formation thereof.

Figure 5 is atop elevational view of a modified distributor which is used-in machines requiring more than one set of air jets.

Figure 6 is a top elevational view of a modiiied form of the invention wherein the washing and drying casing is arranged vertically and the air blasts are directed inwardly toward a vertical axis.

Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 1 1 of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrow and showing the position of the air blast jets.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of one of the air blast jets illustrating in detail the construction thereoi and,

Figure 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the cut-off valve interposed between the source of air pressure supply and distributor.

In the drawings, whereinfor the purpose oi' illustration and wherein like reference characters will be employed to designate like parts throughchine in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive wherein is shown a a preferred form of the invention. i

The washing and cleaning machine comprises an outer casing including side walls I2 closed at y the ends by vertical walls Il and closed at its upper end by means of a top wall I B. l l

A bottom wall I8 completes a box-like casing supported by rollers 20 so that the casing may be easily moved to various locations.

Formed in the top wall IB is anopening 22 closed by a lid 24 as shown in Figure 2. A longitudinal division plate 28 divides the casing I0 into upper and lower compartments 28 and 3l as is clearly shown in Figure 2.

Mounted in the chamber 28 is a container 32 adapted to receive the articles to be cleaned and said receptacle or container is provided with a pair of inwardly projecting opposed ribs 34 and inwardly projecting opposed ribs 38 adjacent the lower portion of the receptacle. A lowermost rib 38 extends longitudinally along the bottom of the receptacle 32 and the spaces between the ribs 34 and 38 are bulged as at 40 while the spaces between the ribs 38 and lower rib 38 are slightly curved as at 42.

The longitudinal ribs 34 are connected to the top wall I8 by welding or the like, adjacent the opening 22 by means of curved sections 44.

Located on the partition 28 and extending upwardly in the lowermost rib 38 is an electric heating element 48 controlled by a switch 48 having an indicator 80 in circuit therewith so that the heater will be protected against accidental or prolonged use.

As above described, the compartment 28 is completely air tight and is adapted to be used as a compressed air storage receptacle for the agitating fluid employed in the receptacle 32. Extending through the upper portion of the casing I4 is a pipe 82 connected to the container 32 as at 44 so that the container may be fed with a supply of hot and cold water through the respective pipe lines 88 and 88. A control valve 80 is interposed between the pipe 82 and hot and cold water pipes 88 and.88 are provided with valves or faucets for individually controlling the hot and cold water supply.

Mounted on the floor |8 is a compressor 62 having its base 84 anchored in place by means of bolts or the like 88. The compressor is provided with oppositely disposed cylinders 88 arranged transversely in the casing I within the chamber 30. The compressor 82 is driven by an electric motor 10 supplied with current from a domestic electrical source through a cable 12 and a pipe 14 is yconnected to the discharge side of the compressor and extends upwardly through the partition 28 where it terminates in an outlet valve 18 controlled by a needle valve operating handle 18. In this manner, the chamber 28 is filled with compressed air and a fluid pressure controlvalve 80 is interposed in the supply pipe 14 to prevent back pressure effects and controlling the flow of compressed air to the chamber 28.

In opposed relation to the motor 10 and :mounted on the armature shaft thereof or continuation of the compressor shaft is a distributor 82 the rotor of which is adapted to connect the storage chamber 28 to the compressed air nozzles in interrupted sequence to produce an agitation within the receptacle 32 as will bevhereinafter more fully described.

The distributor 82 is in communi-cation with the compressed air chamber 28 by means of a pipe 84 connected at one end thereof to casing 88 in which is threaded a needle valve 88 operable by a valve shaft 90 and hand wheel 82. A packing gland nut 84 is threaded on the valve casing 88 at one end thereof while the opposite end as at 88 is connected to a valve 88 of the safety pressure operated type. Connecting the valve 88 and the distributor 82 is a feed pipeY |00 adapted to supply the distributor with a source of compressed air.

A branch pipe |02 is connected to the feed pipe |00 and is provided on its free end with a valved nipple |04 for connection to compressed air appliances in the laundry.

The distributor 82 is provided with a head |08 to the uppermost portion of which is connected a pipe |08 which extends upwardly through the partition 28 and along the bottom wall thereof for connection with branch pipes ||0 having spray nozzles ||2 projecting into the apex of the lowermost rib 38 so that a current of compressed air will be projected upwardly at spaced intervals as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Diametrically opposite the distributor pipe |08 is a pipe line ||4 which also `connects with the compressed air nozzles ||2 by means of a branch pipe ||8 as shown in Figure 2. a feeder pipe ||8 connects with the distributor head |08 as at |20 and extends through the partition 28 where it is connected to a series of vertical pipes |24 having branch oiftakes and each of the feeder pipes |24 extends to a point adjacent the top Wall of the casing |8 where they are return bent as at |28 to form legs |28 terminating at the lower ends in a series of horizontally arranged upwardly directed air nozzles |30 which are located in the lower horizontal rib 38.

Diametrically opposite the outlet |20 is an outlet |32 to which is attacheda feeder pipe |34 which extends upwardly through the partition 28 for supplying a series of branch pipes |38 which also extend upwardly adjacent the top wall |8 and are return bent as at |38 so that the legs thereof may terminate in branch pipes |40 connected to horizontally arranged upwardly directed spray nozzles |42 in horizontal opposed relation to the spray nozzles |30.

Connected to the distributor head |08 as at |44 is a feeder pipe |48 projecting upwardly through the partition |28 for supplying compressed air to a series of upwardly extending branch feeder pipes |48 which are return bent as at |80 in close proximity to the top wall of the casing |8 for connection with compressed air jets |82 by means of diagonally arranged spray pipes |84. The compressed air jets |52 are in diametrically opposed relation to the compressed air jets |30 as is clearly shown in Figure 2.

In diametric opposed relation to the outlet |44 on the distributor head |08 is an outlet |58 to which is connected a pipe |88 extending upwardly through the partition 28 and extending along the top wall thereof as at where it is connected to a series of upwardly extending feeder pipes as at |82. The feeder pipes |82 extend upwardly and are return bent as at |84 terminating in diagonal branch pipes |88 for connection with compressed air jets |88 which are connected in the upper longitudinal rib 34 in diametric opposed relation to the jets |42.

It will be noted that the air jets as shown in Figure 8 include a bulbous shaped member |10 having a tapered projection |12 nested within a frustro-conical receptor |14 carried by the casing receptacle 32. Each air jet is, provided with a threaded orifice thimble |1| throughv which an air blast is directed and the inner end of the thimble is adapted to engage one end of a coil spring |13, the opposite end of which engages a cup-shaped valve |18 slidably received in the bore of the jet |10. Bleed openings |11 by-pass the cup-shaped valve 18 for allowing the escape of air under pressure when the valve |18 is unseated from the valve seat |18 carried on the end of the pipe |18 and held in place by means of a gland nut |8| threaded in the open end of the bulbous shaped member |10.

The feed pipes |18 are connected to the bulbous shaped member |10 in direct alignment with the tapered jet |12.

On one end of the casing I0 and communicating with the clothes container 82 is a drain pipe |18 having a valve |80 for controlling the drain oi fluid and suds from the container.

A pipe |82 is connected to the side wall I2 of the casing I as at |84 and extends upwardly for connection with a valve |88 connected to a pressure indicator as at |88. A pipe |80 connects the pressure indicator to the receptacle 82 whereby a current of compressed air will be directed downwardly in the direction of the arrows when the clothes or other articles are being dried. A discharge pipe |82 communicates with a relief valve |84 for venting the container 82 through a discharge pipe |88. Formed in the pressure indicator |88 is a relief valve 4|88 which will -opn to the atmosphere in the event that the chamber 28 is subjected to high pressures.

During the initial starting operation, the valve 18 is opened which immediately allows compressed air to pass from the chamber 28 to the lower air jets ||2 through a pipe connected to the valve 18 and to the juncture oi' the pipes ||0. In doing so. the pressure in the valve 80 is reduced which closes a circuit through the starting switch 280 and starts the electric motor 10 operating the compressor 88 and distributor 82. After operation 4of the motor has begun and pressure built up in the chamber 28, the attendant may turn off the valve 18 thereby stopping the motor 10 upon an increase of pressure in the valve 80.

It will thus be seen, that when clothes or other articles are to be cleaned they areplaced in the receptacle 32 which is filled with water 200 through the pipe 82. The heating element 48 is next turned on by the switch 48 for heating the water 200 and the compressed air stored in the chamber 28. By controlling the motor 10, rotation is imparted to the distributor so that the compressed air from the storage tank 28 will be fed to the receptacle 82 to the air jets in the following sequence: H2, |30, |52, H2, |42, and |88.

pipes 2|4. Also formed in the sleeve 2|0 are openings 2|8 which communicate with an intake pipe 2 I8. The other sleeve of the distributor 220 is mounted on the opposite -side of the partition 208 and is supplied with air under pressure through a feed pipe 222 while the discharge side of the compressor will be provided with a series of jet feed pipes 224.

When employing the double distributor 202, an additional control valve 88 such as shown in Figure 1 will be used and will have its inlet side connected to the storage chamber 28 while the discharge side will connect with the feed pipe 2|8 and the pipe |00 from the safety valve 08 will connect with the distributor feed pipe 222 in substantially the same manner as connected to the distributor 82.

For controlling the motor 10 there is provided an automatic cutout 288 operable by means of a pressure operated switch carried in the valve member 80 and connected to the cutout 280 by means of a cable 282 whereby pressure in the storage tank will automatically cut off the com- It will thus be noted that after an upwardly directed blast oi.' air is injected into the receptacle 82 through the jet H2, a diagonal blast is injected through the jet |30 after which a blast of air is injected into the receptacle 32 through the nozzle |52 in diametrically opposite relation to the last blast oi' air. "Ifhe next blast will be through ||2. The next jet |42 will inject a diagonal blast of compressed air in opposition to the jet |88. The last air blast of the sequence is through the air jets |88 in diametrically onpsed relation to the jet 42.

After the clothes or articles have been subjected to the above described cleansing action. the water or other cleaning fluid is drained from the container 32 through the valve |80 and the clothes may be dried by the same repeated operation. During the drying operation, the valve |88 is operated to allow direct communication between the compressed air chamber 28 and the receptacle 82 which compressed air is allowed to escape through the discharge pipe |98 by controlling the valve |84.

In the event that more air jet nozzle feed pipes are used, the compressor 82 will be provided with a double distributor 202 including a casing 204 in which is journaled a rotary shaft 208 driven by the compressor shaft similar to Figures l and 2. A partition 208 separates the distributors and mounted on the rotary shaft 208 on one side of the partition 208 is a sleeve 2I0 having openings 2|2 for communicating with discharge presser and cease operation thereof.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 6 and 7, the cleaning and drying machine is arranged in a vertical casing 288 having a bottom wall 282 and a top wall 284. A closure 288 is provided in the top wall and is hinged thereto as at 238.

Mounted within and spaced from the casing 280 is a receptacle having vertical spaced inwardly projecting ribs 240 connected by arcuately curved sections 242 so as to produce a series of projections extending inwardly to produce a cleaning action on the clothes or other articles when agitated by blasts of air projected inwardly through the air jets 244 which are located directly at the apex of the ribs 240. Air supply pipes 248 connect with a distributor in the same fashion as the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive.

Located in the bottom portion of the clothes containing receptacle is a pipe 250 for direct communication with the air storage space 282 so that by controlling a suitable valve compressed air will be directed into the clothes receptacle for drying purposes.

It is to be understood. that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred embodiments of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A cleaning apparatus comprising a liquid holding receptacle, a spaced jacket surrounding the receptacle forming a compressed air chambe'- means fOI Supplying liquid to the receptacle and compressed air jets spacedly and oppositeiy disposed in the receptacle for injecting blasts of compressedair substantially centrally of the receptacle.

2. A cleaning apparatus, comprising a casing. a stationary liquid holding receptacle located in the casing, ribs formed on the receptacle projecting radially inwardly thereof, compressed air jets mounted in the receptacle adjacent the ribs and means for controlling the intermittent supply oi' compressed air` to the jets.-

3. A cleaning apparatus comprising a casing. a liquid holding receptacle mounted in spaced relation therefrom forming a compressed air chamber therebetween, inwardly projecting ribs formed on the receptacle, vcompressed air jets located adjacent the ribs for directing blasts of air toward the axis of said receptacle, means for supplying the space between the casing and receptacle with air under pressure and means for intermittently connecting the compressed air chamber with the compressed air jets.

4. A cleaning apparatus comprising a casing. a liquid holding receptacle located therein in spaced relation therefrom, said spaced receptacles providing an intermediate compressed air chamber, air jets spacedly and oppositely disposed in the receptacle for directing air into the receptacle substantially centrally thereof, means for supplying the compressed air chamber with air under pressure. and means communicating with the liets and the chamber for intermittently supplying air to the air jets.

5. A cleaning apparatus comprising a casing, a liquid holding receptacle located in the casing adapted to contain articles to be cleaned, a se-l ries of oppositely disposed spaced inwardly projecting horizontal ribs formed in the receptacle, air jets mounted on the ribs for projecting blasts of compressed air substantially centrally of the receptacle, said inner and outer receptacles forming a compressed air chamber for supplying the air jets, means for heating the compressed air chamber and receptacle, means for supplying the air chamber with compressed air and a distributor connected to the air chamber and communieating with the air jets.

6. A cleaning apparatus comprising a casing. a liquid holding receptacle mounted in the cas- 'ing in spaced relation therefrom forming an intermediate compressed air chamber means for supplying the chamber with compressed air, a series of inwardly projecting ribs arranged in vertical spaced relation formed in the liquid holding receptacle and a series of compressed air jets adapted to be supplied from the compressed air chamber arranged in vertical series adjacent the inwardly projecting ribs.

7. A washing machine comprising a liquid holding receptacle, a casing surrounding the receptacle providing a pressure chamber, a compressor for supplying air under pressure to the pressure chamber, a series of radially disposed air jets ln the receptacle for directing radial blasts of air inwardly of the receptacle, a distributor connected to the pressure chamber and controlled by the compressor and connections between the distributor and the air jets.

8. A washing machine comprising a liquid holding receptacle having a series oi' longitudinal ribs extending radially inwardly oi.' the receptacle, air iets mounted in the ribs for directing blasts oi air radially inwardly of the receptacle and means for controlling the blasts oi air whereby opposed sets oi jets will operate in unison.

9. A washing machine comprising a liquid holding receptacle, means for directing jets of air under pressure into the receptacle and an air distributor for controlling the operation of the jets, said distributor comprising a casing having an inlet port connected to a source of air pressure, a series of outlet pipes extending between the distributor and the air jets and a rotary member located in the distributor casing having a series of ports adapted to register with the outlet pipes in succession.

10. A washing machine comprising a liquid holding receptacle, a series of air jets mounted in the receptacle for inwardly directing blasts of air. a pressure chamber surrounding the receptacle, a compressor for supplying the pressure chamber and a distributor driven by the compressor having an inlet connected to the pressure chamber and a series of outlets connected to the air jets.

CHARLES ROY EVANS. 

